The present invention relates generally to a filter indicator for a refrigerator.
Filters, such as water filters, are commonly used on refrigerator/freezer products to remind consumers to order or replace the filter. An electronic display may be located on the control box or door of the refrigerator. The indicator can be a series of colored LEDs. Graphics displayed to the side of the LEDs instruct the user on what needs to be done. An indicator of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,036. Another type of indicator is a two digit seven segment display. The display shows the percent of life remaining for the filter. When the display reaches zero, the user is supposed to replace the filter. The user does not associate the indicator with the filter and the placement of the filter is usually distant from the location of the display, and the user may not be familiar with the placement of the filter, and oftentimes ignores the replacement indicator. Controls located on the control box or door are commonly associated with temperature adjustment, so the user does not associate the indicator with the filter, or its need for replacement. The graphic instructions are unhighlighted text that is easy to ignore.
Some filters are provided with illuminated indicators at or near the filter location, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,794,168, 5,128,034 and 6,214,239, however these indicators are limited to one or more LEDs which provide only a color indicator to the user, and provide a visual indication that is very small in size and easy to overlook or misunderstand.
There are other, non-illuminated, filter indicators that may provide an indication to the user that the condition of the filter has changed including color changing indicators, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,346,143, 6,497,756 and 6,610,198, or with indicators that change position, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,385. Some non-illuminated filter indicators use a change in color of a treated area which is configured to spell out a specific instruction to the user, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,038 and U.S. Patent Application Publication US2004/0083896. The lack of illumination of these indicators may reduce the likelihood that the indicator is actually observed by the user.
It would be an improvement in the art if an illuminated indicator were provided for a refrigerator filter that would provide, at or near the location of the filter, a highly visible and instructive indication to the user that the filter required replacement. If the user were provided with a more intuitive indicator, and one that is located at or near the filter location, replacement rates may be improved, resulting in an improved operation of the refrigerator.